From the beginning, the board members of the Tarzana Neighborhood Council (TNC) have been a forward thinking group, creating new ideas to improve the quality of life in Tarzana. Members of the current board are continuing that tradition with ideas for new outreach events to encourage community involvement.

During my prior tenure as President of the TNC between 2003 and 2012 the neighborhood council participated in the development of many of the changes that occurred in Tarzana. In addition to planting trees along Ventura Blvd, our Beatification Committee helped plan and worked with the Department of Recreation and Parks to transform a weed-filled triangle into what is now Mecca Park. During the planning of the Orange Line, TNC gave input at meetings about stations, landscaping and the bike path. It has become one of the most successful public transportation projects in Los Angeles with more than 20,000 boardings per day. Village Walk with its flagship Whole Foods Market has become the de facto downtown of Tarzana. Its restaurants and coffee shops with their outdoor seating enliven that section of Ventura Blvd.

Although open land is at a premium in Tarzana, new homes continue to be built and new commercial developments continue to be planned. Two new medical buildings will be built in the near future: one at the old Michael’s at Lindley and Ventura and the other across from Providence Tarzana Hospital at Clark and Etiwanda. Both buildings have plans to house nuclear medicine facilities. In conjunction with the possible expansion of Providence Tarzana Hospital we expect Tarzana to become a regional medical powerhouse over the next few years.

Although so much has been accomplished, what are my hopes for Tarzana? The Tarzana portion of Ventura Blvd should become a large pedestrian area where, after parking their cars, people can walk, shop and dine. After shopping in local stores, I would like to see them walk to a coffee shop or go to a restaurant. Perhaps one day, like some other Ventura Blvd communities, Tarzana might have a public parking facility which would help promote it as a walkable area. At the same time, I would like to see the city install bike racks along Ventura Blvd to encourage community members to forsake their cars when traveling short distances from home to the shops and restaurants along the boulevard.

What’s your dream for Tarzana? How do you see Tarzana 5, 10 or 20 years from now? Are there things the TNC can do to help make your vision become a reality? We meet the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Tarzana Elementary School auditorium at 7:00 pm. Meeting information can be found on our web site, www.tarzananc.org. Since our agendas always have time for public comments, please join us and present what you think we can do to help improve our Tarzana community.